Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between hostesses and food runners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a hostess has an average salary of $26,298, which is higher than the $25,536 average annual salary of a food runner.
The top three skills for a hostess include reservations, exceptional guest and seat guests. The most important skills for a food runner are cleanliness, wine, and culinary.
| Hostess | Food Runner | |
| Yearly salary | $26,298 | $25,536 |
| Hourly rate | $12.64 | $12.28 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 82,629 | 240,853 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 23 | 23 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Hostesses are responsible for managing guests who come to the restaurant. They greet guests, ensure that the guests have tables ready before letting them into the restaurant floor, guide the guests to their assigned tables, and introduce the guests to the waiter assigned to the table. Hostesses also manage the reservation list, often manning the restaurant's reservation hotline. They also control the entry of guests, answer any query that guests may have, and take note of any special requests. Hostesses ensure that guests have the best possible restaurant experience.
Food Runners are responsible for assisting waitstaff on serving customers at a restaurant or similar establishment. Among their duties include maintaining cleanliness in particular areas, setting tables, refilling drinks, assisting customers with everything that they need, and coordinating with the workforce in and out of the kitchen. Furthermore, Food Runners need to ensure that all deliveries are accurate according to what is ordered by a customer. It is essential to stay presentable and helpful at all times as the main priority is customer satisfaction.
Hostesses and food runners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hostess | Food Runner | |
| Average salary | $26,298 | $25,536 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $34,000 | Between $18,000 And $34,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, ME | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Vermont |
| Best paying company | V-Soft Consulting | University of Massachusetts Boston |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a hostess and a food runner in terms of educational background:
| Hostess | Food Runner | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between hostesses' and food runners' demographics:
| Hostess | Food Runner | |
| Average age | 23 | 23 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.1% Female, 85.9% | Male, 59.0% Female, 41.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 5.8% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |